Detroit delivers most watched SummerSlam in WWE history, company says

Detroit ― SummerSlam was a smash success.

World Wrestling Entertainment's Saturday night showdown at Ford Field was the most watched SummerSlam in the event's 35-year history, the sports entertainment company announced Monday.

It generated a gate of $8.5 million, WWE's largest gate for any non-WrestleMania event ever, the company said in a release. The show delivered one of the top three streaming audiences since WWE partnered with the Peacock in 2021.

"I want to thank Detroit," Paul "Triple H" Levesque, WWE's chief content officer, said at a post-event press conference at Ford Field. "The city did not disappoint. They showed up en masse, they showed up to have a great time, and I think we delivered for them."

More:These are the top 5 WWE SummerSlam moments that made Ford Field go wild

The event drew a reported crowd of 59,194. WrestleMania 23, the 2007 event which marked the last time WWE held an show at Ford Field, drew a reported crowd of 80,103.

SummerSlam also marked a non-WrestleMania company record for sponsorship revenue, with $7 million generated from its sponsorships with Rocket Mortgage, Slim Jim and C4 energy drink. That's up 23 percent versus 2022's SummerSlam, the company said.

More:Ahead of SummerSlam, WWE stars interact with Detroit community

Merchandise sales, meanwhile, were the best in company history for any event outside of WrestleMania.

Levesque called Detroit "incredible" as a host city. "It’s why we’re here," he said. "The fanbase that’s here, Detroit’s always been an amazing city for WWE."

The event was brought to the city as part of a bidding process, not unlike that for the Olympics, Levesque said.

"The timing was right, the setup offer was right, and (there's) an amazing fanbase here," he said. "We had a blast here, I thank everybody here in Detroit for the hospitality, and I look forward to being here again down the line and doing this again with all of you because it was a great time."

Saturday marked the first time WWE held SummerSlam in the Motor City in 30 years, since it was held at the Palace of Auburn Hills in 1993.

WrestleMania 23 marked the 20-year anniversary of WretleMania III, so since anniversaries seem to have baring on when WWE stages events, can Detroit expect a WrestleMania return in 2027, which would be the 40-year anniversary of WrestleMania III, and the 20-year anniversary of WrestleMania 23?

"I think all of that, we'll see," Levesque said.

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